Art of stereotyping.



UNITED STATES Patented June 23, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM NICHOLAS, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNITED STATES GRAPHOTYPE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORA- TION OF NEW YORK.

ART OF STEREOTYPING.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent N0. 732,026, dated. June 23, 1903.

Application filed October 6, 1902. Serial No. 1261130- (No specimens.)

a very simple process whereby the shrinkage is reduced to a minimum and the distortion is so slight as to be negligible, thereby producing a perfect stereotype which is particularly suitable for forming matrices. This is accomplished by securing the character-matrix plate firmly against the smooth face of a moldblock that has a perforation registering with each character-matrix and then forcing the liquid stereoptype metal through each perforation separately into the matrices and allowing the stereotype metal to cool and form a part of the block.

Of the accompanying drawings, whichillustrate the invention, Figure 1 shows a plan of amatrix-plate. Fig. 2 shows a plan of the perforated block. Fig. 3 shows a section taken through the block and matrix-plate. Fig. 4 shows on larger scale a section taken through a matrix and a perforation in the block, and Fig. 5 shows a plan of a piece of the block on large scale.

The matrixplate 1 is formed in any suitable manner and has the reverse formations of the type characters of any style in the sockets or matrices 2 in its face.

The mold-block 3 is preferably formed of a piece of brass with a recess 4 in its upper face for receiving the matrix-plate. A perforation 6 is made through the mold-block to register with each matrix when the block and plate are put together. These perforations are preferably formed by drilling through the block and reaming out or countersinking the ends of the drilled openings, so that the perforations are larger near the faces of the block than at the middle. A groove 7 is cut in the side of each perforation. The matrixplate is fastened by screws to the face of a block 8. Then this block is fastened by screws to the mold-block, with the under face of the matrix-plate and the upper face of themoldblock fitting together very closely. After a perforated plate 9 is placed against the bottom of the mold-block the blocks are further fastened together by a clamp consisting of the bars 10 and screws 11. After these parts have been clamped together a nozzle 12, connected with a reservoir of liquid stereotypemetal, is thrust successively into each perforation in the'plate below the mold-block and the metal forced through each perforation into each matrix independently. When the stereotype-metal hardens, it cannot drop out of the perforations on account of the reduced cross-sectional area at the middle and cannot turn around in the perforations on account of the ribs on the sides.

As each letter is cast separately, there is but little pressure tending to separate the face of the matrix-plate from the face of the moldblock, and as the face of the matrix-plate and the face of the block lie close together no met-a1 can flow between them and form fins. There is but a Very smallamount of stereotype-metal in each character extending beyond the face of the block and but little in each perforation. Therefore there is but a small amount of metal to shrink, and that metal is solidly held by the block, so the distortion is practically nothing. The small amount of metal used for each character carries but a small quantity of heat, so that the block and matrix do not separate to any extent or warp and become distorted by expansion.

Each character being formed independently comes out accurate, and as the shrinkage is immeasurable and the distortion negligible the surface of the stereotype is perfect and true.

If desired, after the matrix-plate has been closely secured to the mold-block the stereotype-metal may be forced through more than one perforation at a time without materially changing the result, for the reason that each character has but a small amount of metal and is securely held and backed by the heavy mold-block in which it is cast, so it will not shrink perceptibly. This, however, can only be accomplished by providing separate perforations through the block for each matrix and securing the matrix-plate firmly and closely against the face of the block.

I claim asmy invention 1. The process of forming a stereotype which consists in securing the face of a matrix-plate with a plurality of matrices, tightly against the face of a mold-block that has a perforation registering with each matrix, and forcing liquefied metal through each perforation in the mold-block to each matrix, substantially as specified and for the purpose set forth.

2. The process of forming a stereotype matrix and forcing liquefied metal through each perforation in the mold-block independ ently to each matrix, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

3. A stereotype consisting of a perforated block of hard metal and independent stereotyped characters, each character having a body of stereotype-metal cast in an isolated perforation, substantially as specified.

WILLIAM NICHOLAS.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM ACKERMAN, H. R. WILLIAMS. 

